Trailer hitch



May 9, 1944. J. A. FEARS 2,348,533

TRAILER HITCH Filed July a, 1942 s `sweets-sheet 1 Inventor J. A. FEARS 4.ERAILER HIToHl FiledvJuly 8, 1942 May 9, 1944.

3 SheetsfSheet 2 Inventor @c-zlm/ef..Z77ecars 9 By NN fw/5W WMM@ May 9, l944 J. A. I=ARsy 2,348,533

TRAILER HITCH Filed July 8, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 f w i .N It! sA l N QQ 'Q \l -|i V .L JF Bf N e Inventor Patented May 9, v194.44

UNITED STATES ,v PATENT OFFICE TRAILER m'icn A James A. Fears, Montgomery, Aia.

Application my s,.'1s4z, serial No. 450,112 z claims.' (ci. asossen The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in 'trailer hitches adapted for attaching a trailer tongue to a towing or pulling vehicle in amanner to provide a yieldable connection therebetween during both a forward and 'reverse movement of the vehicle. y

- fully hereinafter described and claimed,l referen'ce being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereoi-I wherein like `numerals re- `fer to like parts throughout, and in which- E Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view oi a towing vehicle showing the trailer hitch connected to the tow pole of a trailer.

' Figure 2 is ai top plan view of the trailer hitch.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on a line 3-3 oi Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on Vthe lines I-t andI 5,-54

of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a top plan view ofthe eye connecting member forming the pivotalmounting forl the trailer hitch. Y

Figure .'l is a top plan view oi the tube providing` a connection for the spring-members of the device. and i the pivotal connecting member.

Referring now' to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numerals i and 6 designate the upper and lower connecting plates provided at their front endslwith vertical .bolts 1 positioned in cai member I3 secured within a sleeve n by means oi' screws I5. The member I3 and sleeve I4 are formed with aligned elongated slots I6 and I1 extending vertically therethrough. Projecting from the rear end of the cylindrical member I3 is a rod I9 on which front and rear coil springs I9 and 20, respectively, are mounted, the- I4, as shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the f drawings, and the rear end oi' the tubular memn ber 22 extends beyondthe rear end of the rod 'i Figure 8 is atop 4plan view of the sleeve for front of the rear bumper 8 cfa towing vehicle I9, and is provided with a vertically. extending opening '24. n l

The tow pole for the trailer is designated at 25 and is of tubular construction adapted fortelescoping over the tubular member 22 as well In the operation of the device the rear bolt 21 engaged in the opening 24 of the tubular member 22 will be subjected to the pulling force exerted by the towing vehicle 9 on the rear spring 2li when the vehiclesare moving in-a forward direction while the front bolt 26 acts to limit the extent'of relative movement of the tow pole 25 with respect to the members I3 and I4.

Likewise the front spring I9 serves as a yieldable connection for the coupling when the vehicles are moved in a reverse direction.

The upper and lower plate members 5 and 9 areA spaced apart suiiiciently to permit vertical movement of the coupling eye on its spacing member to compensate for variations in the vertical positions of ,the two vehicles when traveling over the road.

It is believed the details of construction and mannerof use of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further deticallyspaced plates adapted for attaching to I0 is 'an eye I2 formed on one end of a cylindri- 55 therear bumper of a towing vehicle, one of said plates having a vertically extending portion positioned againstlthe rear face .of the bumper: a

- vertically arranged cylindrical spacing member between thel plates, a connector having an eye pivotally and slidably engaged with said spacing member between the plates, a rod projecting rearwardly from the connector, a pair of coil springs on the rod, a tubular member freely receiving the rod and springs, a transverse pin in said tubular member positioned between adjacent ends of the springs to provide an abutment therefor, and means for attaching the tubular member to a trailer vehicle.

2.4A coupling for a trailer having a. tubular tow pole, said coupling comprising a tubular member slidably positioned in the tow pole, a bolt ing an eye'at one end adapted'for pivotal concarried by' the tow pole and positioned trans- 15 nection to a towing vehicle. a rod projecting rearlwardly `from the connector into said tubular member, a pair of. coil springs mounted on the rod, and a pin extending transversely of the tubular member and positioned between adjacent ends of the springs to provide an abutment for each spring, said connector having a longitudinally extending slot, and a pin carried transversely of the tow pole and positioned in the slot to limit movement of the towpole relative to the connector.

JAMES A. FEARS. 

